


Patience

by Bead



Series: Previously Unpublished SGA Stories [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Established Relationship, Frottage, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-03-31
Packaged: 2018-01-17 18:01:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1397326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bead/pseuds/Bead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John didn't turn into the perfect boyfriend overnight.  That was fine with Rodney as long as John was not freaking out completely and cutting him off, which was a serious risk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Patience

**Author's Note:**

> So, I got a new computer. And I found a bunch of SGA fics I never posted or finished. I'm just going to throw them up here as is. I totally forgot where I was going with these. 
> 
> Please consider ALL of these ONE SHOTS.

John didn't turn into the perfect boyfriend overnight. That was fine with Rodney as long as John was not freaking out completely and cutting him off, which was a serious risk. 

They’d slept together just once in an actual bed; off world, after the Luten harvest festival, desperate and hot, but both of them a stunned and kind of weirded out the next day. Over the next six weeks and they made out furtively in several storage closets, (Rodney’s idea) a puddlejumper, (John’s choice) and once when they were supposed to be cataloging a new section of the city. 

That day started out as a combined scavenging expedition and sneaking away from their respective jobs for awhile. They’d found an auxiliary med bay, where they scored some possible toys for Jennifer and a handful of rooms that looked like possibly metals and structural manufacturing and a lot of the same Spartan-like quarters like John lived in. 

_“What I want to know,” Rodney muttered, studying his Ancient handheld, “is where the furniture workshops are. There have got to be some adult-size beds around here and more of those good chairs like Sam has in her office.”_

_As they passed through the next doorway, John’s hand settled at the small of his back._

_“Mmm?”_

_John stroked soothingly, which got Rodney’s attention. People often touched others the way they wanted to be touched._

_“Look Rodney,” John said quietly. “Sofas.”_

_The sun was streaming through the stained glass windows of the abandoned room - some sort of informal gathering space full of comfortable-looking furniture – John’s expression was happy and questioning, his eyes dark. He licked his lips and his gaze lowered to Rodney’s mouth. He licked his lips again._

_“Oh,” Rodney breathed._

_“Rodney, I…” He wheedled, voice full of longing. John snorted and rolled his eyes at himself. “Sofas,” he explained earnestly, a teasing smile breaking out. He pressed a little closer._

_Rodney tossed his PDA on the nearest table and reached for John._

Neither of them knew exactly what they were doing and it was pretty obvious after that first night that they weren’t going to talk about it, but Rodney wanted more, way more than a couple of rushed hand jobs after days of circling one another until they were nearly blind with need. 

Though everyone new he was awful with people, Rodney knew John Sheppard pretty well and this whole thing between them was going to work as long as he thought of dating John as wooing a half-tamed cat. He realized this when he realized that John seemed to be stuck in a zone somewhere between spooked and loitering with intent. 

So, Rodney put up with the sudden disappearing acts, the days where John would fidget himself nearly dizzy and was more snarky than usual. Rodney would just snark right back, think of the calico stray he coaxed in out of the cold and leave DVDs out on his lab table that John might like to watch, bits of Ancient tech to figure out or the occasional math proof. (He thought it might be too obvious to leave turkey sandwiches and besides, they dried out quickly.) 

It also helped that he caught Sheppard looking at him wistfully a time or two and once caught turned to ask him something and nailed him totally checking out his ass. 

He didn't think he should grab John by the wrist and drag him to bed; he'd just be up again and wandering around the city, vanishing for days at a time. 

John had to want to stay. 

Therefore, Rodney waited and while he waited, found he had reserves of energy, moving too restlessly under his skin to allow him to keep working in the labs. He jerked off more than usual, tried Teyla's relaxation/meditation techniques, went for shambling runs and lifted weights until his arms trembled and his shirtsleeves started getting a little tight. 

He thought of different ways to properly preserve a turkey sandwich without it losing its freshness or getting mushy. He started leaving the DVDs in his room, so Sheppard would have to come by for them. And he did. Sometimes they watched the movie together, sometimes not. Rodney hadn’t been able isolate the variables that caused John to stay or not stay and wondered if he was over-thinking this or just really missed his cat. 

John would slouch purposefully into the room and then go all soft around the edges before he made it back out with the DVD. He’d wander around, touching things and picking up journals and sidling closer and closer to Rodney. Sometimes, Rodney would get up and cross the room, meeting him half way with a kiss. Twice, John’s whole face lit up as he leaned in for Rodney’s mouth and once – the memory of which still made Rodney feel slightly nauseous – he _flinched_ ever so slightly before smiling and pressing a soft bump-nosed kiss to Rodney’s cheek, stumbling over a few words and fleeing. 

After that Rodney made sure to keep still and let John come to him. John relaxed some, but still left after playing chess or watching a movie and a little making out, using his early schedule as an excuse. What was it about sex in Rodney’s quarters that was off limits? 

Rodney jerked off in the shower _a lot_ , kept an eye on his blood pressure and had a very complete catalog of the things in mind that he wanted to do to John if – when - John finished freaking himself out. 

Right before their next day off, Rodney casually offered some bootleg _Doctor Who_ , which he’d watched at Jeannie’s the last time he visited. When John arrived, Rodney stayed with his back to the room, busy with something work-related, while his body was tuned like a magnet to John’s location as he drifted, poking through various books before coming to Rodney’s side.

“Tag,” John said quietly, tucking it back inside Rodney’s shirt and letting his hand linger. 

“Hmm,” Rodney replied, feigning distraction.

“Whatcha doin’?” 

“Huh? Oh, um, just going over one of Radek’s reports,” he waved his hand at the screen. “Not a big deal; I’m meeting with him tomorrow to go over new improvements he’s proposing for the puddlejumpers….”

“Improvements to my puddlejumpers, huh?” John squeezed the back of Rodney’s neck. “You holding out on me?” He leaned down to look peer at Rodney’s screen, nearly cheek to cheek. Rodney swallowed and inhaled slowly, calmly, (god, John smelled good) trying not to melt into John’s touch. 

“You mean our puddlejumpers?” Rodney amended, as he scrolled through Radek’s specs so John could see them. John pressed closer against his back, causing Rodney’s fingers to stutter on the mouse a little bit, so he had to scroll back up. “‘Course not. I just want to make sure it’s anything worth pursuing before you get all…

Suddenly, John pulled Rodney’s chair around and leaned in, warm, lush mouth covering Rodney’s in a slow, thorough kiss. Rodney felt something like an electrical shock and wanted to arch into John’s hands, wrap himself in his warmth, but clamped down it on immediately to let John lead, because something felt different today. Rodney couldn’t help the glad, hungry sounds he pressed against John’s lips.

He chanced shifting in his chair so John could move closer, but John crawled into Rodney’s lap instead. Groaning, Rodney put his hands on John’s waist (carefully, over his t-shirt) and rubbed up and down John’s sides.

Pulling back a little, John pressed his forehead to Rodney’s. “Hey,” he whispered. 

“Hi,” Rodney said, unable to smother a shaky grin. 

“I was going to ask you if you wanted to watch _Doctor Who_ with me,” John said softly, smoothing his hands over Rodney’s shoulders and down his arms. “But it was really just a ploy.” 

“Is that right?” Rodney murmured, nuzzling his nose against John’s cheek. “Tactical ploy? Hmm, transparent ploy? Or um…”

“How about a shameless ploy?” John said against his mouth and ground down against Rodney ever so slowly. 

Rodney shivered hard, want flooding through him so strongly that it took a moment to find his voice. He leaned into John’s hands, “Best kind,” he croaked, voice strained and raspy to his own ears. 

John’s kisses were gentle - almost tentative – so different from his usual devouring (but no less thorough) method that was nearly always the product of built up need and adrenaline and possible exposure. Also, Rodney was beginning to realize, quite a bit of nervousness on John’s part. Going fast and hot was second nature to him and if he blitzed Rodney and himself, he wouldn’t have to think too much about what he was doing. 

Idiot. But he was very almost completely (hopefully) Rodney’s idiot, so Rodney put up with it, provisionally.

That John was here, in Rodney’s room, initiating this careful, _sweet_ exploration made Rodney’s chest ache. And a little scared, because it felt like they were so close to what he’d been longing for with John. He wasn’t going to screw this up now, so he continued to let John lead. 

“You’re thinking too much,” John murmured against Rodney’s mouth (which made Rodney snort in hilarity and surprise) and slowly, achingly bit down on Rodney’s lower lip until the breath caught in his throat, stuttering out in a low groan. He could feel John’s smile before he saw it, as John pulled back. 

“Y’all right?” he asked softly, eyebrows curving in concern. His mouth was deep pink and wet and Rodney couldn’t take his eyes off it.

“Mmm,” Rodney replied. “Very.” He pressed his hips up slightly and watched John’s eyes flicker. His hands tightened on Rodney’s shoulders.

“Then whatcha thinkin’ about?” He was a little breathless and he ground down against Rodney, his hips circling in a figure eight. Rodney cried out, his hands flying to hold John tight and close.

“I was thinking,” he panted as they rocked together, “about all the things I want to do with you.” 

John inhaled sharply and captured Rodney’s mouth with luxurious intensity as his hips kept up their maddening rhythm. His hands clutched at Rodney’s arms and shoulders restlessly, until he gentled them down, slowing his hips and cradling Rodney’s face in his hands. 

“I want to…” he breathed, resting his forehead against Rodney’s. “I want to go slow tonight, okay? Not like we have to be anywhere in the morning.”

“Mmmm,” Rodney agreed, cheering internally “sounds good.” Oddly, he could feel John tensing beneath his hands. 

“This _is_ good,” John said haltingly. He petted Rodney’s shoulders, obviously working himself up to something “I…we’re _good_ , he ground out in a painful whisper. “Don’t…don’t let me mess it up.”

“John,” Rodney said, helpless against such an admission. “John.” He tipped his face up and kissed John as sweetly as he knew how. 

“You’re so…god, Rodney, you’re so…”John murmured, getting his hands under Rodney’s shirt. He ran his hands over Rodney’s back and sides in a languid caress, his mouth painting kisses across his face, biting at the underside of his jaw and wreaking havoc on his neck. Soon, they were both shaking and breathing deep, unsteady breaths. 

Rodney wrapped his arms around John and offered himself up, tilting his head back and letting himself be surrounded by John’s heat and scent and incredible touches. John stripped off Rodney’s shirt and his own, then dove back in for a long kiss. 

“I want to…” he gasped, moving to a spot on Rodney’s neck that made his eyes roll back. “ Rodney, I need…”

“Whatever,” Rodney replied, voice slurring a little. “Whatever you want.”

“Oh god,” John groaned, burying his face in Rodney’s neck. “Rodney.” 

“Just please, whatever it is, let it be out of this chair. My legs are…”

John relaxed all at once, snorting into Rodney’s neck, smothering his laugh. He bit Rodney’s shoulder playfully, then braced himself against Rodney’s shoulders to stand up. 

“Sorry,” he said insincerely, grimacing. “Not the most brilliant seduction plan. Can you make it to the bed?” His humor was far too mocking for a half-naked man whose pants tented out ridiculously at the crotch. 

Rodney glared. “I’ll crawl if I have to.” 

“Oooooo!” John cooed, toeing out of his shoes and starting on his pants. “There’s a thought.” 

“An excellent one I’m sure,” Rodney sniped, standing to shake the pins and needles out of his legs. “If you were planning on having sex with _someone else._

He glared at John, who had sauntered over to distract him with hands running over Rodney’s newly-exposed skin. “Nope,” he growled a little possessively, giving Rodney an appreciative once-over, “just you.” He gave Rodney a glance that was intense and a little defiant, but before Rodney could figure it out, John pulled him close and buried his face in Rodney’s neck. 

“Only you,” he mumbled. Rodney could feel the shiver that declaration had cost John and he rushed to cup a comforting hand around the back of his neck, fairly reeling at getting behind some of John Sheppard’s walls. 

“Not going anywhere,” Rodney swore and gasped as John found that spot on his neck again that made him want to do many unspeakably pornographic things, but John's lips and teeth working him over made Rodney lose track of what they were. Also, it made his knees start to give out. John pulled him tight against his chest. He raised his head to smirk and jostled Rodney amiably. 

“Say you’re not going anywhere and then nearly collapse on me?” he teased, his expression goofy and affectionate and incredibly pleased. “I knew it wouldn’t last.” 

Rodney narrowed his eyes in a focused glare. “Well, evidently someone has a _thing_ tonight about nearly disabling or trapping my legs.” He cast a disapproving eye down at his BDUs and boxers, which were bunched between them, halfway down Rodney’s legs. 

“Well,” John drawled a grand, solicitous parody of himself, changing his grip on Rodney to gaze at the offending menswear. “We can’t have _that._ He slithered gracefully to his knees, keeping a tight hold on Rodney’s hips, which was lucky for Rodney, whose knees made another bid for folding up. 

“Ngggh,” he said appreciatively. John on his knees. He’d only ever seen this in half-lit, out of the way places. He swayed and steadied himself on John’s shoulders. 

“Whoa! Easy there, buddy,” John said ruefully. “I get the picture about the hobbling; let’s get these off. He looked up to check on Rodney. “You want to sit down?” He bobbed his head at the chair behind them. 

Slightly embarrassed, Rodney shook his head. “Come on,” he gruffed, balanced himself and stuck out his foot, which he wiggled impatiently. 

Rolling his eyes, John helped him wiggle free of his pants, then knelt up, palmed Rodney’s hips and leaned in to rub his face where leg met torso, his cheek bumping against Rodney’s cock. Rodney clutched John’s shoulder for support, a long, loud moan breaking from his mouth. 

John hummed in reply, nuzzling with face and nose and lips and oh god, _tongue._ “Oh,” he breathed. “You always smell so good.” 

Swaying, Rodney warned, “John.”

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you,” John murmured, palming Rodney’s ass and holding him steady. He licked his way up Rodney’s balls, over his cock (doing really interesting things to Rodney’s foreskin) and frustratingly, onto his belly, where he nipped and licked and kissed, seemingly having all the time in the world. 

“Ahhhh!” Rodney whined, wiggling to get John’s mouth moving lower. John pulled back entirely and made Rodney’s knees that much weaker with a full, happy smile. 

“Let’s get on the bed,” he suggested, and Rodney slumped with relief. 

“ _Thank_ you.” 

John’s grin became entirely too innocent as he flowed to his feet. “After you,” he gestured grandly. 

Rodney snapped slightly, grabbed John’s wrist and tugged him forward with a heavy hand on the back of his neck. He set about making John wobbly by holding him in place and preventing him from getting closer, all while kissing John as dirtily and sweetly as he knew how. John moaned against his mouth and strained against Rodney’s grip, which they both knew he could have broken easily. 

Just when John began to get truly restless in Rodney’s grasp, Rodney pulled him closer, causing him to stumble slightly and steady himself against Rodney, pressed knee to chest. Rodney wrapped his free arm around John and dragged his hips slowly upward, rubbing the length of his cock against John’s. 

Groaning, John broke away from Rodney’s mouth. “Rodney. Bed. Now,” he said desperately. 

Rodney hummed deep in his throat and slid his hand down John’s ass. John arched against him, his hips stuttering against Rodney’s. 

“Rodney!” he whined. 

Rodney smiled against John’s mouth and John started shoving. Rodney shoved back, which was kind of stupid since they both wanted to get horizontal, but it was surprisingly fun. 

John’s goal was the bed, of course, and Rodney chose the closest wall, thinking vaguely of holding John against it and making him crazy enough for _his_ knees to buckle. 

He had mass on his side, of course, but John had lots and lots of hand to hand training so it was really no great surprise when he found himself on his mattress, flat on his back and breathless. John stood over him, grinning, triumphant and exasperated. 

“You are such a contrary bastard,” he mused, hands on hips. 

Raising his eyebrows, Rodney wiggled himself into a comfortable position. “Only to a point,” he replied amiably and spread his legs wide. 

John’s eyes darkened and he crawled onto the bed to kneel between Rodney’s knees. He ran a hand over Rodney’s chest and down his stomach to cup Rodney’s hip, his thumb sweeping a slow arc across the point of bone. He looked up at Rodney, his face serious and a little uncertain.

“Whatever you want,” Rodney reminded him softly. “You know that.” 

Looking away, John nodded, watching his thumb rub across Rodney’s skin. He rested his other hand on Rodney’s thigh almost absently, until he seemed to come to some decision. Leaning forward, he skimmed his hands up Rodney’s sides until he was hovering over him. He bent down to take a slow kiss and settled down in the cradle of Rodney’s hips. 

Rodney groaned, trying not to buck too wildly and John made a hungry, yearning noise against Rodney’s lips and thrust down, body wound tight with the effort to go slowly. They rocked together, Rodney smoothing his hands over John’s back, trying to leach away some of the tension. Finally, John was thrusting lazily against him, keeping them both on edge.

“John,” he whispered when they snatched a breath between kisses, nearly undone with affection. “John,” he tried to explain. It was getting hard to form words. He gave up for awhile and turned himself over to listen to the music of John’s sounds; half-spoken words, hungry sounds like he couldn’t get enough of Rodney’s mouth and gasps and hitches of breath and low, rumbling moans. 

" Happy," he finally whispered, then sighed with bone-deep contentment when John drifted over to work on his neck again, and John wiggled against him, renewing his attack on Rodney’s hot spot, biting playfully and growling his approval. 

God. Playful John. Playful John in his bed, generous and relaxed and seeming like he was finally, finally on the same page as Rodney. Rodney wrapped his arms around him and threaded a hand into his hair. 

“Hey,” he said softly, tugging a little. “John.” 

“Mmmm?” John nosed up his neck to Rodney’s jaw, which he nuzzled. 

“Hey,” he said again, shaking John a little to get his attention. “I want you to fuck me.”

Quickly, John rolled to the side and grabbed his own cock, obviously staving off coming. “Oh holy cow, Rodney,” he said shakily, sprawling over half of Rodney and struggling to catch his breath. “Holy cow,” he repeated dreamily. 

“Holy cow?”

John thumped Rodney’s shoulder with his head. “Shut up.” He still sounded a little shaky. “You know,” he said slowly. “You know I haven’t…done that.” He raised his head and searched Rodney’s face. “You know I haven’t done a _lot_ of this stuff with a guy.” 

“And that’s been _such_ a problem. You haven’t been able to adapt at all. I’m just sticking with this because I’m such a _nice guy._ ” Rodney nearly sprained his eyes rolling them, which he figured was the most encouraging reassurance he could offer at the moment, because it would piss John off. 

John snorted and kicked him. “Shut up,” he said sulkily into Rodney’s shoulder. “I hate you.” 

“Which I’ve always appreciated,” Rodney murmured, turning his head to press a kiss against John’s hair.


End file.
